And we all fall down
by jillbetsonalice
Summary: Set during New Moon Edward makes the biggest mistake of his existence but what will happen when he rushes back to fix it? Where is Bella, who has taken her so quickly? Why didn't Alice see it coming? Will he run out of time? WHAT IS GOING ON?
1. Chapter 1

**Edward's POV**

**--**

My intentions were never to hurt Bella. On the contrary, it was in executing the plan that I had formulate that I aimed to protect Bella from the monsters that lurked in her very backyard. It was my hope that if I left Forks, and Bella, behind then the dark creatures would follow me leaving her be. After all, it was my family that these creatures felt the most threat from, not Bella. Bella, was merely a human, a nuisance in their plans to take down the Cullen family, as if we were trying to be a threat to them. In actuality all my family and myself wanted was to live.

Watching Bella's emotions crumble around me was the hardest thing I had ever experienced in my eternal existence. She looked so small in the woods as I spewed forth lie after lie in an attempt to make a clean break easier for her, and selfishly, easier for myself. Since her disastrous birthday I had made up my mind that having me as a boyfriend was, in no way, the healthiest thing for Bella. She deserved a man that she could trust not to crush her if they longed to be intimate, she deserved someone who's brother didn't attempt to eat her when she got a paper cut. I had been distant with Bella since the incident, and I knew she noticed, she appeared hurt almost every time I had seen her and it pained me to know that it had been my actions to put her in such a place. Hopefully, I thought, one day, she would realize that I had been right all along, that the apparent appeal of immortality was outweighed heavily by the extreme sacrifice and possible consequences that came with living forever. It was with the hope I held for Bella to be able to move on from me that I had come to the decision to leave Forks, to hunt Victoria on my own, to have my revenge, and to assure Bella's safety from Victoria and from myself.

Now, however, as I stood in front of Bella, her form trembling as she attempted to bite back tears, sobs, and expletives, I was rethinking my decision. I was being selfish, I knew that she would be better off without me but that didn't stop me from longing to bring her into my embrace. I wanted to pull her flush against me and inhale deep, I want to silence her fears and kiss away her doubts but I couldn't, I had to make myself believe, and in turn make her believe, that this was for the best,

"Stop Edward. Stop saying this!" She said. It broke my heart every time she spoke. My mind screamed at me to make her believe while my heart screamed at me to forget the plan. The angel and the devil, my mind and my heart, at constant opposite,

"Bella it's the truth. We're leaving. You are NOT to come with us, do you understand me?" I bit out. I was going to have to be harsh with my words,

"You don't want me to come with you?" Her voice squeaked. The pain was evident all over her face, her body language screamed that she was severely shocked and hurt. I cursed myself for causing all of it, if I had simply been able to ignore her in school in the first place she may have started dating Mike Newton or Eric, anyone but me, a nice human boy who would…_take things too quickly with her in their stupid hormonal driven attempt to be the first ones to score big with the new girl, you know this Edward, they're nothing but pigs. Stupid boys, _my heart screamed this truth at me but my mind was doing it's best to over power me,

"…No. I don't." I said through clenched teeth. Her eyes widened and the tears finally spilled over rolling in copious amounts down her cheeks and dripping like rainfall off of her quivering chin. The sadness was immediately replaced with a look of anger and Bella did something I hadn't expected she shoved me, _Good_, I thought, _let me have it, punch me, kick me, anything to make you angry enough at me that you'll forget me in a week. Come on Bella, make yourself believe I'm the monster, I'm the bad guy._

"Fine! Go! You know what?! Just leave! I'll call Alice, she'll tell me, she'll let me know!" She cried. She sobbed as she tried harder to punch me, but she might as well have been punching a brick wall, I knew her hands must have hurt and I grabbed her wrists abruptly to stop her from doing anymore damage. An internal rage erupted in me, a rage directed at myself and myself alone for doing this, for loving a girl who I knew would never be able to survive in my world, I was angry at myself but my mind screamed at me to let it out, to let her go, to make her hate me. My heart was losing an uphill battle as I clenched my jaw as tightly as I could,

"Cut it out Bella. You're going to hurt yourself." I ground out through clenched teeth,

"What do you care?!" She screamed. I winced, that hurt. I cared, I cared more than she would know,

"Bella Alice isn't coming back okay?! They've all left! Every last one of them have left!" _Liar! You horrid, selfish liar! _my heart screamed. "They've left and they don't want you to come with me! This isn't a world for you! Now be a good girl and stay here with Charlie, and Jessica, and Mike, and be a high schooler and go to prom and forget about me! GOT IT?!" I felt like I had been punched in the gut at my own words. She sobbed loudly, _It's for the best_ my mind tried to reassure me, she choked on tears that kept flowing, tears that I had caused,

"But I love you." She sobbed, still shocked at what I had said, _tell her, tell her the truth, tell her you love her with all of your heart, tell her that it was a stupid idea, kiss her, hold her, protect her. This isn't protection you idiot._ My heart was trying it's damnedest to win over my mind but I wasn't listening to it any longer, _You know you have to do it _my mind instructed,

"I don't love you." I whispered in a hoarse, unbelieving tone. _Please don't believe it Bella, please, please don't believe darling. I love you_, _I love you so much please don't believe me_. But of course, she did, I saw the exact moment her heart broke, I witnessed the life and love drain out of her beautiful face, the wonder, adoration, and excitement that she always looked at me with was gone. Her eyes were flat as the tears still fell. In an instant her attitude did a 180 as her disbelief changed to anger,

"Fine." She whispered and I wanted to crumble right along with her, I wanted to sob, I wanted to scream but I wouldn't my mind had one this round. "If you don't love me the fine, leave me, leave and enjoy yourself Edward…I'll stay here in Forks for the rest of my life!" She yelled. _Good, yell at me, call me a jerk, call me dirt, damn me to the darkest pit of hell, _"You know what?! I hope vampires do have a soul because then maybe you'll go to hell! You jerk!" She shouted at me. I visibly winced at her words and knew that, if I could have, I would have been sobbing too, "I'll always love you Edward Cullen! Human memories fade? I DOUBT IT! Have fun, leave me here, damn to a normal human life. Go!" She screamed,

"If that's what you want." I said softly,

"Screw you." She bit out. I turned to leave,

"Go!" She shouted again. And go I did, not as quickly as I could have gone for my heart was still screaming at me, trying to get an upper hand on my mind,

_You fool! You arrogant, idiotic fool! What do you know about relationships? No more than she does, it doesn't matter if you are seventeen or ninety you are as new to love as she is. This bullshit about protecting her by leaving her alone to fend for herself is ridiculous._ My heart was scolding me, beating me senseless emotionally. I stopped in my tracks and let a sob escape me, how manly of me. I couldn't help it, a void was quickly growing inside me and I could feel it ripping at my insides like the flames of hell.

_You're protecting her_ I thought, another sob rocked me, "It's for the best, it's all for the best, she'll forget. She's so angry with me right now that she'll forget. It's for the best." I tried to reassure myself,

_You're making the biggest mistake of your existence, _"Shut up!" I growled. I didn't want my heart or my mind to control me any longer, _You know I'm right, you know you want to run back to her and admit you were wrong, you know you can't live without her, you know she filled a void as soon as she walked into school that day. You know you are powerless over what you truly feel, stop trying to be the fucking hero and just be in love, damn the consequences. Nothing in life that is actually worth something is ever easy to obtain, it's taken you ninety years to find someone that has truly made her happy, whether or not blood flows through her, whether or not your enemies seem to long to use her against you doesn't matter in the least. What matters is that you love her and she loves you, it's simple, but it's what it comes down to._

"Screw, all of this." I ground out as my heart won over my mind. I couldn't leave Bella, I had to be selfish, I couldn't honestly think that ripping her heart out in front of her was a good idea. I turned on my heels and sped back toward the trees intent on catching up with her.

"Bella!" I shouted as I reached where we had stood. I couldn't see her, I couldn't sense her, "Bella I'm sorry! Please, I…we need to talk. Bella?!" I shouted again. Still, nothing. I'd be ignoring me too if I were her, all those mean, nasty things I had said rushed back to me, "Bella come on!" I jogged a bit down the path she would have taken to get back to Charlie's, that's when the smell hit me.

The strong odor of bleach burned my nose as I inhaled deep. I started to become frantic, Bella didn't smell like bleach. I took in a deeper breath, no sign of Bella, no trace of the sweet strawberry scent I longed for and, still, no hint of any other creature, they must have used all the bleach they could have found to mask the smell, I was becoming frantic,

"BELLA!!" I roared and I began to run towards Charlie's house. The wind rushed passed me as I ran, fear washing over me in violent waves,

"BELLA!" I yelled again as I threw open the front door. No sound, no response, but the odor that hit me here was strong, interesting, and foul. I rushed about every room calling her name, no luck. I wrenched open her bedroom door in hopes of finding her there. The smell I encountered there broke my heart, it was Bella's scent mixed with the scent of enemies and there, on her bed was a piece of paper with a short message intended for me,

_If you don't want her…we sure do. _

_Catch her if you can._


	2. Chapter 2

**Edward's POV**

**--**

I crumpled the piece of paper in my iron grasp, I could swear I felt my heart jump back to life and start hammering in my chest. I had left Bella for a fraction of a time and this what had happened. My mind swam with what the outcome would have been if I hadn't have stopped, if I had sped away faster, if I would have never looked back. Bella would be gone, and I would never have known. My brain worked overtime to try and process everything that was going on around me, nothing was out of place in Bella's room, nothing broken, nothing disturbed, which made the situation all the more eerie. I sniffed the wadded piece of paper I held in my hand, the scent made my nose wrinkle and my throat burn. It was a horrible smell mixed with an amazing one, which would explain why the venom instantly pooled in my mouth. I smelled Bella, which means they had forced her in the room, they had forced her to hold the note in her own shaking hands. The paper ripped a little as another round of rage hit me. But the other scent, the horrible one, was confusing me, it was messing with my sense, and I knew that's what they wanted. I wasn't sure if the scent was vampire, or it was wolf, or it was both. It smelled like the foulest rain water and muck in existence, yet it smelled familiar at the same time. It made my mind reel with fear that something unknown to me held the love of my life in their clutches, that they had taken her right from under my nose. No one's thoughts had screamed at me as I raced back into the woods, Alice hadn't warned me about any impending attack (not that she was speaking to me at the moment, still, she would have warned me if someone, other than myself, was planning on harming Bella.), there had been nothing, Bella had just vanished, a simple pawn in a cruel game that her captors were intent on me losing.

I needed to act fast. Charlie would be arriving home soon and wouldn't be too keen on finding me in Bella' room with no Bella to be found. I would eventually have to deal with Charlie, he would, obviously, realize his daughter was missing and come looking for her. If only Chief Swan realized the magnitude of filth that lurked in the darkness of the town he had sworn to protect. If only he knew that the gun in his holster would be merely seen as silly prop when used against these monsters, that, in their eyes, he was merely another human, they wouldn't think twice when they destroyed him. I couldn't, I wouldn't, concentrate too heavily on Charlie at the moment. The story, the lie, that I would tell him when, not if, he came knocking on our front door, would take seconds to fabricate, I needed to get home and inform my family. Finding Bella, and finding Bella alive, was my first priority.

I tore out of the house with a burst of speed, hardly caring if anyone saw me (thought I did keep mindful to stick to the back roads). I ripped through underbrush and fallen tree limbs as I ran at my top speed back to the large house I called home. I only slowed as to not destroy our front door as my feet finally halted on the threshold of our foyer,

"Edward's home from ruining Bella's life." Alice said bitterly as she packed books into a cardboard box. She kept her back to me, unaware of the look on my face, as I let out a very audible growl,

"Oh what is it now Edward?!" She snapped as she finally turned to look at me. I noticed the sharp intake of breath she took as her eyes met mine,

"Bella's gone." I said. The smallest chuckle escaped her and her mouth twitch a fraction of an inch,

"I'd be gone too if you just, all of a sudden, acted like you didn't love me anymore. You are such an ass do you know this about yourself?! You know I liked Forks Edward!" She yelled acidly at me,

"You know you don't have to block your thoughts!" Why was I arguing with Alice? I had much more pressing matters to deal with but it made me extremely angry when she blocked me,

"Oh trust me Edward Cullen you'd be in tears if you knew what I truly thought of you at the moment. I am severely censoring myself for Esme's sake. I really don't think she'd appreciate the words that would be coming out of my mouth if I--" I cut her off,

"NO! I MEAN BELLA IS GONE! SOMEONE TOOK HER!" I roared. I thrust the wad of paper that contained the note in my sister's face. She snarled a bit as the scent hit her,

"What is that?!" She said sniffing it again, "Did Bella roll in a dead dog?…" She looked up at me terror quickly filling her small face,

"Who took her Alice?" I whispered. Alice shook her head, backing away a bit,

"I don't know. And, I have no idea why I _don't_ know." Her voice was as low, and as terrified as my own,

"EVERYONE LIVING ROOM!" I yelled as I made my way to our central room. My family was there in an instant and Jasper's face shot to mine as my apparent emotions hit him,

"Why are you so angry?" He questioned me. I held the ball of paper in my hand and quickly whipped it at him. He caught it and the same growl that had come from Alice's throat burned from his,

"She's gone, someone took her and we need to find out who." I ground out. Each member of my family had the same reaction to the note,

"Bella?! Who would take Bella? Oh Edward…" Esme said the fear of the unknown creeping into her normally motherly tone,

"Just out of thin air? Just like that?" Rosalie asked as she read the note with a confused expression,

"Who is playing this sick game?" Emmett asked as I saw him tense,

"Whoever it is obviously knows us and means business. I mean, why else would they use a human as bargaining tool for a family of vampires?" Jasper inquired. His mind was filled with curiosity, anger, and guilt as he tried to keep an emotional hold on the situation. Carlisle, however, did not speak. His eyes were locked on my face, waiting for me to explode at any moment, and I didn't disappoint,

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SEE IT?!" I screamed at Alice who had remained silent for a few moments. Her face shot up and her eyes locked on mine, narrowing in defense,

"I DON'T KNOW! DON'T YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT?! WHY DIDN'T_ YOU_ READ THEIR MINDS!" She roared back. I snarled at my smallest sister, my biggest ally in the family, the one who understood me the best,

"THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY BLOCKING ME!" I hissed. She took a step forward obviously not afraid of me,

"WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU, DEAR BROTHER, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO BLOCK ME TOO OR I WOULD HAVE WARNED YOU. YOU'RE THE ONE I'M PISSED OFF WITH NOT BELLA! IF THEY TOOK YOU I'D BE FINE WITH IT!" Her words came out through clenched teeth but the sound of her voice still filled the entire house,

"Stop it." Jasper said barely above a whisper, he couldn't keep up with trying to control our rage. We didn't listen to him,

"Oh shit." Emmett said,

"Oh please. GET OVER IT! If you want your girlfriend back Edward you have GOT to stop blaming Alice and start looking for her!" Rose shouted. I turned and shot a growl her way which made Emmett growl in response,

"We would know where Bella was if Alice knew how to control her powers better!" I regretted my words as soon as I had said them. I didn't want to be mad at Alice, I wanted my family's help,

"Edward." Esme scolded. Alice was instantly furious and she ripped into me,

"THAT. IS. IT! Your have obviously forgotten so let me remind you, Edward, that THIS was your FUCKING idea! Don't you DARE make this out to be MY fault when you know very well that my visions are not 100 true all the time! YOU wanted to leave Bella behind! YOU wanted to leave Forks and NEVER see her again! Are you happy now?! You probably WON'T ever see here again Edward! Way to be the fucking HERO!, way to do what's best for her, you must be so FUCKING PROUD!" And with that Alice stormed from the room and out the font door slamming it with great force behind her, Jasper followed.

The room was quiet until my cell phone vibrated in my pocket,

_New text message from: BELLA._ It read.


	3. Chapter 3

**Bella's POV**

**--**

I could barely open my eyes. It was like all the strength in my body had evaporated and I was left feeling like a rag doll. That's not to say that there wasn't pain, pain shot through me even if the only thing moving were my eyelids. I had no idea where I was, no light shown from any direction as I tried my hardest to look around. The ground was cold, so cold that it burned my body, and it was hard, and…sticky. My stomach instantly churned as I began to breathe and the distinct smell of blood hit my nose. I felt dizzy and tried my hard not to allow myself to slip back into unconsciousness. I dry heaved and instantly realized how dry and painful my throat felt, I wanted to scream but made sound but one small squeak. Suddenly, I realized the presence of a form standing above,

"Aw, I'm so glad you're finally awake. Did you have a good nap?" The voice was unfamiliar to me but I could tell it belonged to a woman. Perhaps she was trying to disguise herself, perhaps I would die before I found out.

"Edward." I finally managed to say. My voice sounded so weak, I had said his name barely above a whisper but my captor apparently found great amusement in my saying his name,

"Edward isn't here. You told him to go away remember? You told him to go. You were pretty upset with him weren't you? You told him you hoped he'd go to hell. Well, honey, he will, don't you worry it's just that, well, I can't quite figure out whether or not I want to send you there with him or not. It's such a hard decision…I may just need Edward's help." My heart shattered at her words. Edward had left, Edward hadn't seen me being kidnapped, he hadn't seen me disappear, he was gone and I had no way to get a hold of him. I saw a small blue light illuminate just the pearly white teeth of my captor's wide wicked grin,

"Is this your phone?" She asked so politely, terrifyingly, all I could do was nod,

"You don't mind if I use it do you? I do hope you get unlimited texts, I'd hate for this to cost you more than it already will." Her musical laugh filled the room, my head swam, "You see, Isabella, I want to play a little game with Edward. Figure out if he really meant all those nasty things he said to you. After all, us girls really need to look out for each other don't we?" She made me sick, whoever she was,

"Shut up." I ground out, still, my pathetic attempt at a comeback just came out as a hoarse whisper,

"Because if he didn't mean those things. If he was just being a silly, lying, vampire trying to 'protect you' from the big baddies of this world then, I may have to keep you alive for a little longer. I don't know how many people would like that." She began typing something out on my phone as tears began collecting in my eyes.

**Edward's POV**

**--**

"_**Do you like playing charades Eddie?" **_The text message read. My stomach dropped and I furiously dialed Bella's phone number. The voice that answered startled me,

"Edward please, please, come get me! Please!!" Bella's raspy, tear choked, whispers flowed through the receiver and I suddenly found myself sitting on the floor,

"Bella, where are you darling?, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Bella. Don't be afraid, shh, shh, don't worry we'll get to you tell me where you are!" I frantically tried to get as much information from her as I could before our call was, more than likely, cut off,

"I don't know where I am. Blood, Edward, there's blood, everywhere. I'm so scared! It's cold, I'm freezing cold Edward, and it's dark. I think I'm in a warehouse. She wants to play a game Edward, I don't know what she wants. Ah!" I heard Bella shriek,

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I yelled into the phone, loud enough for whoever was standing there with the phone to Bella's ear was sure to hear. And with that, the line went dead. "FUCK!" I yelled and tossed my phone across the room.

"You may need that, I wouldn't destroy it quite yet." Rosalie bit out,

"Do you have any idea how serious this is?!" I yelled back. She glared at me,

"Edward enough. There's no use in upsetting every one of your siblings until you have no one left." Carlisle said. I knew he was right but we were running out of time,

"Let's break this down. They couldn't be too far could they? Vampires are fast but they could still be within the state, that's for sure." Esme was trying her best to be rational but I could tell she was just as frantic to begin searching for Bella and to have Alice and I took make up,

"Where are they though? That's the problem. What did Bella say Ed? Anything?" Emmett's eyes met mine, his thoughts urged me to get it together, there would be plenty of people to break in half after we found Bella,

"That it was cold, very, very cold and there was blood…a lot of blood. I don't know if it was her own or if it was someone else's…I didn't get that far." I was scared that we were wasting too much time but there was nothing else we could do,

"Well that doesn't help much. Are there any warehouses around here?" Emmett asked. Just then my phone vibrated across the room and I rushed to it, another text message,

"_**I see you don't know how to play. It's okay, I'll start. Here's a clue, first word, sounds like, Hurry." **_It took all my strength not to snap my phone in half right then and there. Whoever this bitch was would end up as a pile of ashes when I was done with her,

"Apparently, wherever she is, sounds like 'Hurry'" I said through clenched teeth. I did not liked being messed with, especially in dire situations such as the one that I found myself in.

"Hurry, and cold. What's cold and sounds like Hurry?" Esme was trying her hardest to figure it out,

"Fuck these games!" Emmett swore. I looked at my brother,

"I would love that, Emmett, but we can't go after them if we don't know where they are." I said. Rosalie gasped then, and she spoke before I had time to analyze her thoughts,

"Flurry. Hurry, cold, furry. It makes sense…doesn't it?" She asked. I could have kissed her,

"Rose, sometimes you are a genius." I said. "Flurry ice company. Their warehouse is right outside of town. Thanks Rose, thank you so much." Rose chuckled darkly,

"I still say you're a complete idiot. Go get her so I don't have to listen to you whine any longer. If you ever endanger this family like this again Edward Cullen I will rip you to shreds myself." Rosalie snapped at me but, I couldn't blame her,

"We'll stay in case we hear anything else." Carlisle said. I nodded and then I rushed out the back door with Emmett at my side.

We were completely silent as we ran toward the outskirts of town. I willed my legs to go faster as I long to have Bella in my arms again, to never have her leave me ever again. I wanted also wanted to apologize to Alice and Jasper for my harsh words, but that would have to wait. The warehouse loomed, ominous, ahead of us and a growl erupted from me as I wrenched open the front door,

"BELLA!" I yelled. I heard nothing, but the smell of human blood immediately hit my nostrils and fear ripped through my entire body,

"Do you smell that Edward?" Emmett asked shielding his nose with the back of his hand. I nodded and rushed further into the warehouse. I could see perfectly well in the dark but saw no one. I smelled the same, foul, smell I had smelled earlier, mixed once again with Bella's beautiful scent and also, this time, the horrid smell of human blood. I wanted to drop to my knees, I wanted to weep, I wanted to scream and curse because I feared I was too late. I wanted to die, or whatever it was we did, but the sight of a envelope lying in blood caught my eye. It was, of course, addressed to me,

"_**Edward -**_

_**Tsk. Tsk. You aren't too good at playing games, I'm disappointed in you. You're too late, in case you didn't figure that out already. Maybe I'm being too hard on you, maybe I'll make my clues a little easier. Don't worry, you'll get a new clue soon. Oh, and let's recap shall we? In case you haven't noticed, you can't read my thoughts, and your pixie bitch of a sister can't see the future of this situation so stop trying. Let's play this like a board game too! If you don't answer a question within a certain amount of time you lose. Question: How much do you love her? **_

_**I absolutely can't wait to see your answer. I wonder, Edward, how much will you risk? Time's running out."**_

I roared with anger and Emmett and I fled from the warehouse_**. **_Their scent was gone, however they had covered their tracks it was good. I couldn't bare it anymore, I couldn't take not knowing who had Bella in their clutches. As much as I didn't want to, I was going to have to play their little game. There was nothing I could do, I had no choice but to wait for their next move, they were winning, and I hated that. On the way back home Emmett and I stuck to the woods and ran across Jasper and Alice. Jasper approached me first and I felt a wave of guilt hit me,

"Edward, I love you but if you ever speak to her in that way again I'll rip your throat out. Mark my words." Jasper growled, "I know you're worried about Bella and I'm sorry that she is missing, we'll do all we can to find her but that doesn't mean that you should turn on your family in such a way." Jasper was right and I did feel bad for what I had said to Alice. Alice approached me next,

"Alice, I'm so sorry. Please, somehow, forgive me. It's not your fault in the least that we aren't able to find Bella. I'm not sure why they can block both of us but something tells me that they have more power behind them than they're leading on. You are my sister, for eternity, and I never want to hurt you again as I did earlier. I want your help but if you don't want to help me, I understand." I said. Alice nodded and stepped closer locking her tiny arms around me in an embrace,

"If you ever speak to me like that again I will sell every last one of your belongings. I promise." She said so simply. It was a far less damming threat than Jasper's but, for some reason, it was more terrifying, "Oh and the car, thank you in advance for that, it wasn't necessary but it's beautiful!" She said excitedly. Car? I didn't remember buying a car, but I obviously would, "And if you think I'm not helping you find Bella you're out of your mind. We're finding her and we're killing whoever has her. Trust me." She growled,

"We're wasting time." I said. I wanted to find Bella, I wanted another fucking "clue", I wanted her to be safe and alive. Rain began to fall, typical Forks, through the trees and we ran, as a group, back to the house. My siblings minds were all focused on the road ahead. I wanted to go at it alone but I knew they would never let me. We approached the back door as a torrential downpour hit us. Jasper held the back door open for us and we filed through into the kitchen all of us drenched to the bone. I knew that if I was human I would have been freezing, I knew where Bella had been she had been cold, I prayed that where she was now was warmer. My parents thoughts went from being optimistic as they sensed us in the kitchen but dropped to fearful and disappointed as they noticed that there were only four of us,

"Edward, we have company." Carlisle said as I turned toward the living room. A frantic wave of thoughts invaded my brain courtesy of the visitor standing beside my parents. I was sure my eyes reflected exactly what I thought as I came face to face with Chief Swan.


	4. Chapter 4

**Edward's POV**

**--**

There was no sound in our home for several seconds, save the constant dripping of rain onto the floor from my soaked hair. Chief Swan stood in our living room, a look of panic and hope filled his face as his eyes meant mine. Panic that, obviously, Bella hadn't been there when he arrived home from work. And hope that, maybe I had found her. I wish I could send a rain soaked Bella into his awaiting embrace, I wish that this nightmare had never began, I wish I hadn't have been so stupid as to think leaving her was the best thing for her.

I stepped into our living room towards Charlie and I was shocked to sense my siblings following me. I would have thought they would have kept their distance from Charlie, but then again, Alice had always been his favorite,

"Chief Swan." I addressed Charlie who stared at me as if I could make Bella magically appear out of thin air,

"Did you find her?" Charlie's voice whispered as if he didn't want to hear the answer himself. I looked at Carlisle,

_We only told him you went looking for her, nothing else. _His thoughts informed me. I returned my gaze to Charlie's and motioned to the couch. I willed myself to stay calm, to remain focused, and I prayed that I didn't accidentally go on a rant about possible evil vampires kidnapping Charlie's only daughter, that was sure to only get me either arrested on committed, neither of which would help me get Bella back.

"No, Charlie, I didn't. I'm so sorry, believe me, I…I can't fathom what has happened today." I spoke as slowly and as calmly as I could. Charlie ran his hand through his thinning hair and, for once, I noticed the toll that humanity had taken on Charlie Swan. The wrinkles that lined his eyes, the small amount of gray that peppered his hair, the lines that surrounded his mouth. I knew that within fifty or so years, maybe less, Charlie Swan would no longer be living. I would continue to be seventeen and, if his daughter had her way, she would stay as young and vibrant as she currently was. If only Charlie Swan knew how insignificant the years he had already lived were to the creatures that, more than likely, were responsible for his only daughter's disappearance. If only he knew that, to them, the length of a human life meant nothing, that time was hardly ever a factor to creatures like us. At the moment, time was everything to Chief Swan,

"Edward, I need to ask you a few questions. Less as a police chief and more as a concerned father. When was the last time you saw Bella? I figured she had just gone to your house without leaving a note, you know something that just slipped her mind. But when I tried to call her cell phone no one answered. I called your house then and your father said that I may want to come over." Charlie recited the events of the night from his own perspective though I could see everything in his thoughts. I wished the truth didn't have the ability to kill him, I wish I could have told him the truth so that he wouldn't have such false hopes that, perhaps, Bella had (not so simply to him) run away or was held captive by an easily disposable human. But, in some cases, especially in our world, it is often easier to lie. I took an unneeded lungful of air and leaned forward placing my elbows on my knees,

"She was at school with me all day. Then, I asked her to come over for dinner and to watch a movie with Alice, Jasper, and myself. She seemed excited to come hang out with us but told me that she wanted to go home long enough to shower, change, and put dinner in the refrigerator for you. She told me that she would be over by six o'clock. When she didn't show up I tried calling her, there was no answer, I tried your house phone, no luck. I became slightly worried but assumed that she may have been running behind. I drove over to your house to see if there was anything I could help her with but, there was no one home. No sign of her anywhere. It was like she just…" Charlie finished my sentence for me,

"Vanished. Did she act strange at school at all? Distant in any way?" He asked. I wanted say 'Yes because she knew something was up with me. And she was right because later that day I broke up with her and left her alone in the woods like a dumbass because I was upset that my brother has a bad case of 'imma-eat-yo-face!' when it comes to human blood and my vampire family and I were going to run away' but, instead, I decided to take a much a safer route,

"No, she seemed normal. Normal, clumsy, Bella. She was laughing and joking with Alice at lunch as was just as talkative and cheerful as ever in class." I lied. All lies, I was full of lies that evening. Lying could, occasionally, protect the ones you cared for. I was determined to protect Charlie from as much darkness as possible, "I'm sorry Charlie. I love your daughter, you know this, she is my life. I will find her. I promise you." That was the truth. I would find Bella, no matter what the cost.

Charlie was so distraught that I wished I could block his thoughts. Jasper was in the room, trying his best to send out as much calm as he could but his own personal guilt wasn't helping much with the situation, though, I was beginning to notice that Charlie had started to relax. Alice was standing as still as a statue beside Charlie, I knew she was trying her own, personal, hardest to locate some sort of future for our situation. Charlie mistook her silence for grief, though, believe me, Alice was grieving an infinite amount,

"Alice, dear, it'll be alright. I know, I'm terrified too. We have to get to the bottom of this, and we will." Charlie laid a hand on my sister's back which shocked her and brought her out of her trance. She stared at me and shook her head a fraction of an inch. Charlie didn't notice, but I did, and my heart fell. She was still unable to locate Bella anywhere. I had a feeling Jasper's claming was starting to finally drift through a little stronger because Charlie stood and faced me. I rose to take his hand,

"Call me if you hear anything? Please son, the moment you hear word." He asked me. That was impossible. I wouldn't call him when I heard anything because, whatever I heard next would be just another sinister part Bella's captors sick game, and I would not involve Charlie in that process,

"Of course." Well, if I wasn't going to hell for the other sins I had committed I was definitely going for lying,

"I'm going to the station to file a report. Make some posters, start calling anyone that might have seen her today." Charlie said. I knew it wouldn't help to do any of those things but, in this situation, a police chief with a handgun was a laughable asset,

"I will do anything to help. I can call my classmates tomorrow, find out if they heard anything from her." I lied again, I wouldn't even give calling Mike Newton or Jessica Stanley a second thought.

"Charlie we want to help too. If you need any help passing out flyers or anything else we will do anything." Alice spoke for the first time,

"I know kiddo. Thank you. Get some sleep" I heard Alice chuckle once almost silently. Charlie walked towards the front door and Carlisle and Esme followed,

"Our house is always open to you Charlie. We love Bella as our own, we will find her." Carlisle said. Esme offered Charlie a hug and he gladly accepted it. With that, Chief Swan left our home to go about his worrying in his own fashion. I felt an extreme amount of guilt that his actions would be useless.

"What's the plan now Edward?" Emmett asked from the top of the stairs. He and Rosalie had been absent during Charlie's visit to keep with the charade that they were away at college. Rosalie's thoughts were simple, yet shocking,

_I'm sorry._ She thought. I nodded,

"I don't know. I'M SO FRUSTRATED!" I shouted and Jasper tried to calm me, "We can't do anything until we hear word. I can't stand this, I can't stand not having a lead, no trail, no scent, no thoughts. I'm so damn frustrated!" I wanted to cry, I wanted to break furniture, I wanted to break the necks of whoever held Bella in their grasp. But I was powerless, that's what they wanted, they wanted me and my family powerless. They wanted us to feel human again, weak and stupid, they wanted me to feel guilty for what I had almost done, they wanted me to prove to them what I would risk to save a mere human.

Alice stepped forward and wrapped her tiny arms around me,

"I can't confirm it, fuckers…" she muttered the last word, "but I can feel that we will find her Edward. And they will pay dearly…trust me. We'll play their, game, and we will win. It will be our game when we finish." A strange, playful, glint appeared for a split second in Alice's eyes and then she returned to the couch facing the window. She stared out into the dark night, and focused.

"I think I want to be alone for awhile." I addressed my family and retreated to my room. The hours wore on as I sat in my dark, silent, room. I sat on the floor facing the window. I didn't feel like laying on the couch, I didn't feel like listening to music, I didn't feel anything. A light knock on my door brought me out of my thoughts,

"I don't want to talk Alice." I called. I heard the soft chuckle of my father,

"Oh, come in Carlisle." I said. My door opened letting in the small light from the nightlight in the hallway. He walked over and stood next to my couch,

"So why is alright for me to come in and not your sister?" He said clearly trying to lighten the mood,

"I'm just not quite up for Tornado Pixie tonight." I said with a small smirk,

"I HEARD THAT!" came Alice's response from down the hall. Carlisle chuckled and walked over sitting across from me. We sat in silence for a good fifteen minutes before I spoke,

"I want to know why Carlisle." I said simply, "Why us? Why Bella?" I asked,

"Our family is quite different Edward. I'm working off the assumption that whoever has her is of our species and to the majority of our kind humanity isn't seen as anything important. What do a small eighty years matter? Our family sees humanity for the blessing, and occasional curse, that it is. They are, threatened, by our family's existence, we seem to be so strong in comparison to them because we have learned to resist the appeal of human blood and they feel insecure, and threatened by this reality. They see Bella as a way to get at us, they're using her as a prop and, unfortunately, her life matters little to them if they don't see us losing our minds trying to find her. We've witnessed the passing of people we knew as we live a perpetual existence, it has never affected us until Bella arrived in your life. They want to know what makes her so special to you, and, as a sick game, they want to know what you would do to keep her safe." Carlisle spoke softly to me and his words made sense,

"I hate not being able to do anything right now. I feel so useless right now, I want word, I want to know she's living." I admitted. Carlisle reached forward and laid a hand on my shoulder,

"Sometimes, it pains us so much to move at a human's pace doesn't it? Trust me thought, Edward, we will find her alive. There is a reason that the rest of our kind feels threatened by our family, when we need to fight, there are none stronger." He told me,

"I should never have allowed myself to get so close to her." I said quickly. Carlisle crinkled his brow at this,

"Do you truly think that would have been a wise decision? How much brighter is your life because of Bella, Edward? How much happiness has she brought you? We do not choose those we love Edward." He told me,

"But look where it's gotten her? Captured by inhuman beasts that are doing…God knows what to her. It would have been for the best if I would never have spoken to her." I waited for Carlisle's response. He paused for a moment, then, he offered me a small smile as he stood,

"Doing what's best isn't often the same as doing what's right." He told me. I took in his comment and was silent as Carlisle walked toward the door,

"What would you do if you had never turned mom?" I'm sure, in that instant, I sounded more like a child than I ever had in my ninety years.

"I would, certainly, have ceased to exist. As far as Carlisle Cullen is concerned. Love is something we all need Edward, even the strongest of kings is nothing without a queen by his side." And with that he left my room, giving me the rest of the night, and part of the morning to think.

When I finally reappeared downstairs to find Alice in the same spot I had left her. She looked like she had been sobbing all night though I knew no tears had fallen.

"I'm sorry Edward. I can't see anything. There is nothing on the horizon and it makes me want to scream. I want to curse everyone that is surrounding Bella but I can't see them to curse them." She said so quietly that I was almost sure that I had imagined it,

"You're fine Alice. Take a break for awhile, there's no use tiring yourself now. We may need you soon." I kept glancing at my phone for any news but none came. That meant they could be anywhere by now, airborne, at sea, it didn't matter, they weren't anywhere I could see.

"Edward, darling, you need to hunt. Look at yourself." Esme said coming from the kitchen. I glanced in the mirror that hung over the fireplace and was shocked at the darkness of my eyes and intensity of the shadows under my eyes,

"I don't want to." I replied,

"If you get a message we'll send Alice out to get you." Esme told me trying to urge me to go. But I would never make it out the door. As I was about to answer my mother my phone vibrated and I instantly flipped it open,

"_**Your human just informed me of a very interesting tidbit of information. I may just change the stakes of the game. You'll hear from me soon.**_" I dropped my phone, and myself, to the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**EPOV**

I felt like I needed to gasp for as much air as possible. As if, suddenly, I was human again and required the use of my lungs, like I was drowning and I had no idea how to claw my way to the surface. I gasped frantically and Alice was automatically by my side,

"Edward, Edward shh. Come on, it's alright. Edward!" She shouted at me but I couldn't get a grip on reality. I frantically searched my own mind for what Bella could have possibly told her captors, what had they done to make her admit to anything? I continued to gasp in hysteria, I didn't need the air but my mind was so crowded that a physical reaction seemed inevitable. "Edward, it'll be alright, we will fix this! Edward listen to me!… Oh for Christ's sake!" With that my smallest sister slapped me clear across the face knocking me over so that I was laying on my back. She scrambled on top of my chest pinning me down, "Listen! You aren't going to be able to do anything to help Bella if you are such a basket case about it! You have to face it, our powers are of no use in this situation, we have to rely on instincts and other senses, it's what they want, and we have to accept that. Now, listen to me and listen to me good, either you snap out of this now and fight or I'm taking your phone and I'm handling this myself do you understand me?" Alice's words hit me like a reasonable ton of bricks. I regained composure and nodded violently. "Damn, I was really hoping I was going to get to slap you again" She sprung lithely to her feet and I followed.

"I don't even know where to begin Alice. Whoever has Bella said they would be in touch, that Bella had told them something interesting. I have no idea what that could possibly be." Alice listened intently to every word that flowed from my mouth. She nodded once,

"Then, we wait. We can't afford to get all stressed out and possibly make a mistake…that is the last thing you want to do at the moment." When Alice had to, she could be the most logical person in the room. I watched as she folded herself onto the couch and patted the spot next to her. Esme watched from the kitchen in silence; her thoughts were a horrid mess of panic and fear for my mental health. She allowed me my space, however, seeing as she was very confident in Alice's ability to care for me. She knew how close the two of us were and that comforted her.

"I'll be fine mom, I'm sorry if I scared you." I whispered, I knew she could hear me. Esme was instantly in front of me,

"I just don't want you starving yourself. That won't do Bella any good whatsoever, you have to be alert and focused, not distracted by your thirst." She said looking down at me, her small arms crossed over her chest. I offered my mother the best smile I could muster,

"I know. I'll see if Emmett and Jasper will go with me tonight for a quick hunt." I wanted to make Esme happy, and, she was right, I needed to hunt…desperately. Alice's small hand grasped mine in support as we prepared to sit and wait, something we never thought we would have to do.

**BPOV (before Edward received the latest message about the game changing)**

**--**

I was terrified when I awoke again. I hadn't been having a horrible nightmare after all, I was still in darkness but the room around me was different. I was warmer, it almost felt muggy where I was, the air hung around me, damp and rank with a scent I didn't want to find the origins of. I sat up from where I had, more than likely, been tossed. Pulling myself into a sitting position I realized, with horror, the amount of pain that shot through my arm, something was obviously broken and I cried out. The sound of my distress echoed off the walls and reverberated back to my own ears. I found myself shaking as I stared into the darkness around me,

"Oh Bella, you remind me so much of a helpless little deer, or perhaps a lamb. Small, unknowing, so terrified that you don't have the strength to actually move. Scared, literally, stiff. Beautiful, I didn't think I could do it you know…keeping you alive this long. Even now I'm wondering how long I can draw out this game, how many Cullens can I kill, how broken can I make Edward Cullen before I kill you and he loses it all? I love playing games but, you'll be so fun to kill won't you. So warm, so soft, you smell so delicious already that I don't know how long I can resist. Though, I suppose, if you get too close to death Edward will just turn you…am I right?" Her voice was menacingly soft and terrifying. As a reflex response to her question I shook my head 'no', what a big, and stupid, mistake that was,

"No? Really?…interesting, and why is that dear Isabella? Why won't Edward Cullen sink his pearly whites into your soft skin and give you an eternal life by his side?" She crooned. I bit my tongue, I didn't want to say, because, I honestly didn't really know, she didn't want silence though, "Answer me!" She shouted, a snarl building up in her throat,

"I don't know." I squeaked, my voice was raw again, raspy, and I realized how extremely hungry I was, "I don't know why he won't! He says he's afraid." I confessed. I hated speaking to her, I hated knowing that she had the upper hand in this situation, that Edward was powerless. But I was so afraid, I was so weak, that I was willing to say anything to protect my family,

"Afraid? What could Edward possibly be afraid of…besides losing you." She bent down beside me and pulled back a bit of my hair. Her hands were like ice,

"He says he's afraid of losing control…of killing me. And, he's, afraid of…of… my soul. He thinks I'll lose my soul." My hands were trembling and my voice shook as I let the truth flow from me.

"Interesting…very, very, interesting Ms. Swan." She pulled out my phone and flipped it open, the bright light suddenly illuminated her firey red hair,

"Victoria." I breathed. She chuckled once, a breathy, terrifying chuckle,

"Took you long enough. But it's not just me doll, you have no idea who your little vampire family has pissed off. Who they have provoked with Edward's little slip-up…keep the secret, that's the only rule he has to abide by and he, obviously, has broken it. The Volturi are threatened by your lover's family, this just gives them an excuse to finally do them in. They are very interested in seeing how I kill off every single member of the Cullen family." I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak and Victoria stood up and strode away from me, "I'm just not sure how alive I'm going to keep you now." She made no sound as the small light disappeared into the blackness. I gave up and slouched over, sobbing into the ground.

**EPOV**

**--**

It had been hours since I had heard anything. I normally didn't feel time rush by me so quickly but since Bella had disappeared every second sounded loudly on the clock. Alice sat beside me as still as she had been when she had first snapped me out of my hysteria. I could tell that evening was drawing near, Charlie had called twice to ask if anything had turned up. I lied, once again, saying that our friends from school hadn't heard from her or seen anything out of the ordinary but that I was still searching, frantically, for her. Apparently Charlie had caught a "lead" and was calling me from his cruiser. I wanted to tell him that there was no "lead" but I didn't want to have to explain myself.

Emmett and Jasper came downstairs as nightfall was quickly setting in,

"Let's go." Emmett grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door, "You have to hunt or you won't be of any use trust us. I knew my brothers were right but I still didn't want to leave. I fished in my pocket for my cell phone and tossed it to Alice,

"If anything comes up I'll find you." She said. I nodded and out the door I went. I intended to make this the shortest hunting trip in history.

My brothers and I uncovered a herd of deer not too far from the house and had no problems taking them down. I would admit that it felt nice in a way to let my instincts take over and I was grateful for it. The grateful feeling didn't last too long however and I felt the need to be back home. Emmett and Jasper understood, I told them that, maybe, I would hunt again tomorrow and that made Emmett happy. We ran back, in silence, to the house, they knew that joking was out of the question.

Alice tossed me my phone as soon as I entered the back door,

"Anything?" I asked. She shook her head,

"I'm sorry." I could sense that she felt the despair I felt and Jasper attempted to calm us all the best he could. I was just about to sit down when a sharp knock on the front door echoed throughout the living room,

"Shoot, I wasn't concentrating…sorry." Alice whispered, "I can't see anything really right now anyway." She added in a mutter. I walked to the door, intent on shooing whoever it was away. I opened the door to find Charlie standing there, a look of shock on his face; shock, anger, and despair,

"Charlie…what is it? Come in please." I opened the door enough for the Chief of Police to walk in,

"Edward…son…we found a body." Charlie whispered. I heard Alice's sharp intake of breath, heard my brothers stand up suddenly, I felt my own breath stop and my own mind shut down,

"Charlie…I--" I began but my phone vibrated in my pocket. Alice was there in an instant, she wrapped her tiny arms around Charlie and began to sob her great, tearless sob,

"Edward. Go get Carlisle!" She cried. I knew that she really meant 'Go check your phone. Now.' I obeyed and ran, at a human's pace, up the stairs. As soon as I was out of human view I flipped open my phone to a new message:

"Perche un uomo fa che cosa non deve? Per lei. Per per essere suo. Per per essere un genere di uomo."

A/N: My apologies if I butchered the Italian language on that one…I used an online translator. The quote is actually from Buffy…where it comes from that I do not know. ENJOY!


	6. Chapter 6

**BELLA'S POV**

**--**

I could tell we were in a plane. I had a brief memory of being tossed into the back seat of a car, the cool leather of the interior causing me to inhale sharply. I briefly remembered being slung over a cold, stony, shoulder but I hadn't mustered the energy to let out a scream. Now, as I opened my eyes slowly, I knew we weren't on a road. I was absolutely starving, my head swam as I tried to sit up, and my throat was raw and dry. I felt completely disgusting as I finally pulled myself into a sitting position, I realized I could feel the dry tears on my cheeks and knew my eyes had to be puffy and raw from the time I had spent sobbing.

"I'm glad to see you're awake. You've been out for a long time." Victoria bent down next to me, a piece of toast in her hand, "Have a snack, I don't want you dead…yet." She added viciously. I stared into her blood red eyes and let a small whimper escape my lips,

"Why?" I asked. She sat a glass of what beside me and stood up. A evil, malicious, grin spread across her thin face and she let out another sharp laugh,

"Oh because, Isabella, have such big plans for you. You are going to be the main pawn in my plot to bring down the Cullen family. It's all part of the little game I wanted to play with your Edward. I want to know how much he will risk to save your pathetic human life. But, since you told me that he didn't have any intention of turning you…well…I just may add that to the pot. Would he rather have you dead, or a monster? Perhaps I'll do both, turn you into a blood thirsty animal that would just as soon kill Edward as look at him, let the reality of that sink in with Eddie, and then I'll rip your head clean off." She added harshly. I swallowed, hard and it hurt, and began to tremble ever so slightly,

"He'll figure out a way you know." I whimpered, "He'll find out." I hoped, with all my heart, that I was right. I didn't want any Cullens to die but I didn't want to die myself.

"How? How will he find out? We've had help in this all along Bella, do you realize that his and his pixie sister's powers are of no use at the moment? He's up against some of the most powerful vampires, no the most powerful vampires, in existence. We have help from all sides here Isabella, believe me, the Volturi are strong enough to block your lover's little parlor trick. He has to rely on his instincts now and I'm not sure he can run fast enough." She smiled, a smug smirk, and retreated to her seat.

"Where are we going?" I asked, I didn't want to press the issue of Edward losing because I didn't want to think about it.

"Italy." She replied. I instantly knew why, we were going to see the Volturi, the royal family of the vampires, the ones who felt, ever so slightly, threatened by the Cullens. I wanted to believe we could win, that Edward would get to me in time, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it completely. I munched my toast in silence, I was terrified, I could almost feel the minutes of my life ticking away I had no clue what waited for me on the other side

**Edward's POV**

**--**

Italian. Why were they writing to me in Italian? Carlisle had already passed me on the stairs, on his way down to Charlie. He had, obviously, heard what Charlie had said and was on his way to "console" the man who believed his only daughter was dead,

"Charlie. I'm so deeply sorry, I have no words that could possibly make you feel any better. Edward is completely stunned, so please excuse him while he takes a moment to wrap his head around things." Carlisle whispered to Charlie,

"Burned, her entire body was just…ash. We found her purse a few feet away though, and were working on….on…a positive identification. God Carlisle, I can't…" Charlie's words were thick with emotion. Only I knew the truth, that Bella wasn't dead, that they had sacrificed some other poor girl to perpetuate the sick game they were playing. I heard Carlisle guide Charlie into the living room,

"I'm going to go check on Edward." I heard Alice's small voice, thick with mock despair, as she walked towards the stairs. She rushed over to me,

"Well? What did they say?" She asked,

"Bella's still alive…the message was in Italian." I tossed my phone to my sister. She scanned the message, once, twice, a third time and finally gasped. It had all clicked into place for her, she knew where they were, I could tell in her eyes,

"Volterra." She breathed. My eyes widened, how had I not seen it coming? A instinctive growl rippled from my chest,

"I have to leave, immediately." I said. I started toward the stairs but Alice grabbed my arm,

"Like hell you are going alone!" She hissed. I spun to stare at her, "Oh come on Edward! Seriously?! After everything this family has been through together you don't honestly think we are letting you go to Italy to take on the most powerful family in history alone! No, this family stays together, we fight together." She was determined. I sighed,

"I can't endanger you, or Jasper, or Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, or Rosalie…" She cut me off,

"Oh shut up! We're all going. Now go get rid of Charlie." She told me. I couldn't help but stare at my sister before she skipped off to, no doubt, tell the others. I walked down the stairs slowly and made a mental note to look even more depressed than I already was. Charlie stood to meet me and he pulled me into a hug,

"Charlie I…I have no idea what to say. I can't…even fathom what's happened." I said making my voice sound weathered and cracked. I could tell Charlie was trying not to sob, I knew that he would go home that night and sob, uncontrollably, I knew that there was nothing I could do to prevent that, if I had even the slightest bit of hope to bring Bella back to Charlie alive I was going to have to leave as soon as Charlie was out our front door,

"Edward…I know you love her." Was all Charlie told me. My heart shattered further, I loved her more than my life, he had no idea how much I completely adored his daughter, so much so that I had almost left her, no I had left her that was why we were in this situation to begin with, to protect her from the evils that surrounded my kind. I tried to sob, and I found it surprisingly easy, I had wanted to let my emotions out for awhile finally did.

"Perhaps, Charlie, after a good night's rest, you can begin to process this. I am, truly, truly sorry for everything. You may sleep here if you wish." Carlisle said knowing that Charlie would decline, like all humans he was slightly put off by our family,

"No thank you Carlisle. I couldn't, I need to make a couple phone calls." I knew Charlie was remaining more calm than he would have been if Jasper hadn't been standing upstairs, away from Charlie's view, doing his best to send as much calm his way.

"Please call us in the morning Charlie. When you know more." Carlisle began walking towards the front door,

"I will. Edward, son…" He stared in my face and, again, I was shocked at home much damage humanity had done to Charlie,

"I'm so sorry Charlie…" I breathed,

"Hug Alice for me…she was awfully upset." Charlie choked out, trying his best not to cry,

"I'll inform Esme as soon as she's back with Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper. I'll have her cook something, bring you some food." Carlisle said. I knew this was a lie, that not only were Esme and the rest of the Cullen children upstairs but we'd, more than likely, be gone by morning. Charlie and nodded, and with that, he was gone, off to grieve in silence, away from the prying eyes of vampires.

"Hurry up people!" I heard Alice's voice call as soon as Charlie's cruiser was out of view of our driveway,

"Where exactly are we going?" Carlisle asked as he sprung up the stairs after me,

"Italy. They have her in Italy." I replied as I rushed to my room, I wanted nothing but the single picture I had of Bella on my bookshelf. I wanted to see her face, to be reminded of her shy smile.

"So what happens when Charlie calls in the morning and we aren't here?" Emmett asked as we all rushed to the garage. Carlisle was on the phone with the airline,

"He will, no doubt, be suspicious Emmett. But, sometimes you have to think of the present situation, not what will happen in the future. What would you do if it was Rose?" I asked him as I unlocked the Volvo. Emmett gave me a look as if to say, 'I understand' and said nothing more about Charlie,

"A flight, luckily, leaves in three hours." Carlisle said. Esme was the last out the door, turning off lights as she went,

"We'll meet you at the airport." I called as Jasper and Alice climbed into my car. Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme climbed into the Mercedes with Carlisle and with a nod from my father I sped out of the garage and shot down our driveway only pausing momentarily to turn onto the highway before I increased my speed exponentially.

My family and were very used to the looks we got at airports. People were put off by us individually but when we got together as a group I guessed that we were downright intimidating. Not only were we unique looking but we traveled with no luggage and I was so antsy to get on the flight that I didn't even stop to put my shoes back on,

"He's…excited to see Rome." Esme said politely to the stewardess who was, no doubt, staring at me. "Edward, honey, put your shoes back on." Esme said throwing me my sneakers. I put them on with lightening speed only vaguely aware that no human could have laced a pair of shoes that quickly without setting fire to his hands.

It wasn't until we were on the actual plane that the real agony set in. I realized that there was no way I could make the time in the air go faster. I casually considered strolling into the cabin, snapping the pilots' necks and flying the plane myself. I must have looked like I was considering murder because I felt Jasper's hand on my shoulder,

"Edward, it's hard enough for me to be in a plane with this many humans can you please try to control your emotions…you're making everyone look like a tasty bear." He asked in a low, hurried, whisper,

"I'm sorry." I replied quickly and quietly. Alice sat on the other side of Jasper, her tiny face plastered to the window. Alice loved to fly though I knew she was not enjoying this particular last minute "vacation" because she truly didn't know the outcome of the situation, something Alice never experienced.

I leaned my head back and swallowed, shutting my eyes tightly, I prayed that it was rainy in Italy.

We landed and boarded our connecting flight. I counted the seconds and the minutes until we landed in Italy and I had my seatbelt off before the sign was even on. I almost killed the man in front of us, he was busy fiddling with this carry-on bag and hadn't felt the need to rush off the plane right away. I guessed that his girlfriend wasn't currently at the mercy of evil vampires hell bent on destroying her, so, he had no idea what I was currently feeling.

I kept checking my phone every three seconds or so, nothing, no message, no clues. I was starting to get extremely nervous, had we interpreted the message wrong? Had that really been Bella dead in the woods burned beyond recognition? Was this simply a ploy to get me away from Forks? Carlisle had decided that we immediately venture to Volterra.

Once we had reached the city we all formed a group,

"I believe we should split up. Find as much information as we can." Jasper said grabbing Alice's hand tightly,

"I'll go with Emmett and Rosalie…you take your mother and Alice." Carlisle spoke to Jasper. Somehow, my father knew, I wanted to be alone, "Edward will you be fine alone?" Carlisle asked. Alice gasped a bit and Esme looked concerned,

"I'll be fine. I caused this, I will resolve it." Esme hugged me tightly,

"I love you." She whispered. I nodded as I released my mother from the vice grip she had on me,

"I love you all…be careful, please, take care of each other. We're a family and I want it to stay that way." I said eyeing my siblings. Alice caught my eye lastly and the pain I saw there was extremely evident. It made her so nervous not to be able to see anything and it was obvious she was terrified of us splitting up,

"You have Jasper, Alice…it will all be fine." I told her.

"Promise?" She asked, her voice was barely above a whisper,

"I promise. And trust me, I'm done breaking promises." I told her.

"For Bella." Alice breathed. I nodded, and watched as Esme, Jasper, and Alice walked off towards the east end of the city.

"Son, be careful." Carlisle told me simply,

"I'm a Cullen. We fight for family, and we win for family." I said,

"Hell yeah!" Emmett cheered. Rosalie shot him a disapproving glare,

"Find her." Rose told me and I nodded towards my sister. She took Emmett's hand and they, along with my father, strode to the west side,

"Carlisle?" I called softly, he stopped and turned towards me,

"Yes Edward?" He asked simply,

"Nothing without a queen by his side?" I asked echoing my father's words from the past couple of days,

"Nothing." He whispered. I nodded, and took my own path to the North end of the city, toward the tower.

There were people in Volterra that day, just a few scattered human couples, still, I jogged at as close as a human pace as I could. I had heard nothing in the twenty-five minutes I had been separated from my family. Volterra was a intricate city but it wasn't too terribly big, I had half expected to hear something already. As if on cue my phone vibrated loudly in my hand. I read the message several times, then, it hit me.

The game was just beginning,

"_**Ring around the Rosie."**_


	7. Chapter 7

**EPOV**

"_**Ring around the Rosie." **_I read the message over and over in the span of a couple seconds. My mind whirled with millions of possibilities until I landed on one. The answer was so simple that I was shocked that I hadn't figure it out before. They were going to use my family against me, they were playing a deadly game and I was going to have to choose one or the other; my immortal family or my mortal love. They were going to pick them off one by one until I was alone, until Bella's captors got what they wanted.

"_**Ring around the Rosie."**_ I read it again, it all clicked into place and I looked up, noticing that the few straggling human couples had left the square for the day, obviously feeling the eerie presence that weighted Volterra down that afternoon. They would never know why their instincts told them to leave but I was glad they did. My family, that's who they were after, those sick bastards were after everything I held dear,

"…around the Rosie." I muttered…suddenly, it all clicked into place, and I whirled around in the blink of an eye as a piercing shriek filled my ears,

"ROSALIE!!" I roared. I was suddenly aware that I was sprinting towards the sound of my sister's otherworldly screaming. I didn't care who saw me running, I thought all the humans had left the square, I could have been wrong, I didn't care. I couldn't fathom how the Volturi would agree to such a disruption in their own city, though, I wasn't sure I fully understood how deep their hatred for my family ran. I skidded, skillfully, to a stop in front of a circle of vampires that had enclosed my sister against a far wall. The one closest to her held her detached arm in their hand and I winced, positive that, if it were possible, bile would have crept up my throat into my mouth. A fierce growl erupted from my throat, my instincts to protect those I loved overpowered any humanity that ran through me,

"Would you kindly give my sister her arm back, now, please?" I gritted out through my teeth. The ring that surrounded Rosalie whirled around to meet my vicious, murderous, eyes. The one holding Rose's arm looked at me and barked a loud, menacing, laugh,

"So, THIS, is Edward Cullen? The son of Carlisle Cullen, of the famous Cullen family? One of the freakish children, the one able to read minds?" He chuckled darkly as Rosalie alternated between growling and whimpering…where the hell was Emmett and Carlisle? "Tell me, son, can you read what I'm thinking?" The cloaked vampire asked me,

"…No." I felt ashamed, ashamed that I was letting everyone down so quickly,

"I didn't think so. I was so, amused, to find that it was all so easy to block you. How's your human?" He asked. I growled loudly,

"Fucker. Where is she? Where's Bella? Tell me! And let my sister go!" I charged forward but I stopped as a slightly smaller vampire grabbed a hold of Rose's head which made her emit another gasp,

"I wouldn't move closer if I were you, Edward, Victoria has so many plans for you and this…is not part of the game. She did tell you about the time limit…didn't she?" My eyes widened at his words. It had been Victoria the entire time, the wench who had barely merited an afterthought in my battle against James, the definition of the term 'bitch' who had dared come back to hunt Bella, the one who had made me consider leaving Bella in the first place. She had my love in her clutches. My chest heaved as I stared, terrified at the vampire standing before me,

"Edward this is what she wants!! She wants you to choose! GET. BELLA! I MEAN IT!!" Rosalie screamed. Rosalie was my sister, I couldn't stand leaving her. I didn't want to choose, I didn't want to play anymore, I wanted to wake up…but I hadn't slept in almost a century, I wouldn't 'wake up' because I was already awake. This was reality. This was Hell,

"Rose…" I began but she snarled at me, always the hard-ass Rose,

"I MEAN IT!" She yelled as they tore at her other arm. As if on cue my brother and father appeared, a group of three more of Victoria's minions behind them,

"DAD WHAT'S GOING ON?!" I shouted. Carlisle's eyes fell on me and they widened in fear,

"They're everywhere Edward, everywhere! The Volturi, Victoria and her followers, they are all after us. They are all here to bring us down. Find Bella, your mother, brother, and sister and get the hell out of here!" Carlisle barely got out his sentence before the others caught up to him. Emmett was circling the ones harassing Rosalie, vicious snarls leaping from him,

"Releasing my wife would probably be the best decision of your existence." I heard Emmett growl. All I could do was stare, like a child watching a violent television program. The horror that was evident on my face was no match for the horror I felt inside,

"Carlisle…" I began inching towards the group that had my family cornered,

"Find them." He said. I could detect the fear in my father's voice, an emotion I had hardly ever heard there before. I stared at the man that had given me "life", the one who had shown me the true meaning of family, the one who had never given up on me even in my darkest hours. Now, I felt as if I were giving up on him,

"But Carlisle…" A growl emitted from the group of cloaked vampires around us as I stepped closer,

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" Carlisle yelled. I knew he meant that I was running out of time, something that we, as vampires, had never had to deal with. As I ran back the way I came, ferocious, inhumane, snarls filled the air around me. I could detect Emmett's and Carlisle's predatory roars as well as Rosalie's screeches and screams, they were all horrible, awful sounds, they were all sounds of death. I wanted to cry, I wanted to throw up, but I propelled myself forward.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I swore loudly,

"You fucking bitch!" I swore as I flipped it open to reveal a new message,

"_**Pocket full of posies. Ashes to Ashes." **_Ashes. I thought. Burning bodies, the only way to actually get rid of a vampire for good. I whirled around me in a complete 360degree circle. I glanced up, maybe there was something in one of the towers. Nothing but the threat of the sun trying to poke through the clouds. Then, I heard her, Alice's small voice full of fear,

"EDWARD! EDWARD! VICTORIA HAS BELLA, EDWARD SHE'S OVER THERE! I SAW HER!" Alice's scream filled my ears and I turned sharply to see her all the way across the square. Her small frame was being dwarfed the vampire backing her, my mother, and Jasper into a deep, dark, crevice,

"ALICE!" I screamed. I saw her shake her small head,

"NO YOU DON'T! GET BELLA!" Then, she disappeared into the darkness. I began to run, I began to sprint, towards my sister but, I felt as if I wouldn't get there fast enough, and I was right. As I neared where the rest of my family had disappeared the whole crevice erupted in a fountain of fire and ash,

"NO!!" I roared as I turned on my heels, instinctively. The Volturi were destroying their own city to bring down my family? What threat did we pose?

_**Ashes to Ashes.**_ My mind replayed the message. I sobbed, tearless sobs, as I turned from the scene. Alice had seen her, Alice had seen Bella. Alice was gone, Alice was dead as was Jasper and Esme and Emmet and Rosalie and…Carlisle. Carlisle, my father, my mentor, my creator had died because his son was foolish enough to love a mortal.

I ran towards where Alice had pointed, my mind filled with sorrow and anger, my heart ached for those I had lost in such a short amount of time, I was furious, I was devastated, I would get revenge. Then, I saw her, I saw Victoria, and I saw Bella. My heart broke, metaphorically speaking, as I laid eyes on Bella's small form. Tears were streaming down her face and she looked like she was starving, the bruise like shadows under her eyes were nearly as dark as my own,

"Edward." I heard her squeak.

"Let her go!" I growled. The sun had made an appearance and Victoria and I stood poised against each other in the shadows separated by probably a little more than two hundred feet.

"Oh but Edward…we're having so much fun. I love this game, I don't want it to end." Victoria's voice was pure venom as she spoke and it made me growl,

"I SAID LET HER GO!" I roared. Bella whimpered and Victoria snapped at her,

"SHH! I've grown very tired of your whining Isabella now be a good girl like I said and maybe you'll die quickly!" Victoria spat, "You see, Edward, Bella informed me of some very interesting information. Like how you won't change her. That just seems so selfish Edward." Victoria spoke to me like I was a child and I hated her even more. She had Bella grasped under the chin and it looked like she was choking her,

"Victoria leave Bella out of this! She's done nothing!" I growled. Victoria laughed,

"MATE FOR A MATE!" She yelled back at me. I snarled, James had deserved to die. He had deserved the pain he felt,

"Edward I'm sorry." Bella choked out,

"Bella, I love you, don't you dare ever forget that, I love you." I tried to reassure her as our eyes met. She looked hollow and I hated that, I hated Victoria with every fiber of my existence, "I will get you out of this Bella, I'll get you home to Charlie, you will be safe. I love you!" I shouted,

"Bella, I love you…god you make me sick Cullen." Victoria spat. I growled again, turning my attention back to her. I was crouched in a predatory stance, ready to spring,

"What do you want? Tell me and let Bella go…I'll pay the price." I asked. Victoria chuckled,

"Will you Edward? Will you really?" She asked harshly, "Let's see, I want you to figure out the next little part of the riddle. It's no fun if I do all the work." She was still treating this like a sick game,

"Fuck you!" I bit out. I was so full of anger and I really didn't want to play,

"Oh come on Eddie…Ring around the Rosie…" She began. I shut my eyes tightly, I was only going to get Bella back if I played along,

"Pocket full of posies…ashes…to….ashes…" I looked up to see a wicked smile plastered across Victoria's face, she whispered, loud enough for me to hear, loud enough for me to know,

"…We all, fall, down." She said. In that instant everything changed. Victoria pulled back Bella's hair exposing her neck, she bit down harshly and I saw Bella's blood bubble to the surface as she let out a painful scream,

"NO!!" I howled. I felt my feet leave the safety of the shadows, I didn't care. I felt my own head crash against the concrete as I was knocked off my feet by two of Victoria's minions, "BELLA!!" I roared. Bella was screaming in pain as Victoria continued to bite down. Finally, she released Bella from her grasp and my love tumbled to the ground a few feet in front of me. I reached out a hand to her as I laid, still pinned, to the ground. Victoria leaned down to me, Bella's blood still fresh on her lips. I swallowed back the stubborn venom that pooled in my mouth,

"You lose." She whispered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Edward's POV**

**--**

Bella's screams still echoed fresh in my ears as the both of us were dragged, separately, toward the tower,

"SHUT UP! God, you are the most irritating creature to ever grace the planet! One little vampire bite and you won't shut the HELL up!" Victoria yelled at Bella, I snarled in the grasp of whoever the tall vampire was that had a hold of me,

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO HER LIKE THAT VICTORIA! YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE LEAVE HER ALONE!" I roared as I tried, unsuccessfully, to get out of the grasp of the one who held me. Bella whimpered and Victoria laughed,

"Edward please, help! Edward it hurts so bad, please make it stop!" Bella sobbed, she screamed bloody murder and winced. I wanted, selfishly, to plug my ears, to stop her sobs and screams. I wanted to hold her tightly to me and tell her that it would be okay, that in three days the pain would go away. Now, however, three days seemed like a lifetime away.

I briefly thought of my own transformation. The burning, internal inferno that raged inside of you while the venom took over. I would never wish that hell on anyone and now I was watching, in horror, as Bella, my Bella, experienced all of it. I heard Victoria smack Bella across the cheek and a horrid growl erupted from my throat,

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" I roared at Victoria who chuckled darkly as we continued our path to the tower.

"Edward there is nothing you can do now to save her so why don't you just shut up and enjoy the wonderful sound of her screaming. It's all your fault Edward, you could have saved her, you could have won the game." Victoria's voice made me feel ill and I wasn't in the mood for her mind games,

"At least let me carry her! She's dying Victoria, I know you're a heartless bitch but please!" I begged. I couldn't believe I was begging but I knew Victoria was twisting her arm at unnatural angle. Victoria rolled her eyes and stopped,

"Fine! If it will stop her screaming! I guess I can let you have a few last moments with her before she turns into a bloodthirsty monster that won't recognize you. Then I'll rip her head off!" She said the last part so cheerily that it made me more sick, if that were at all possible, "Frank, let Edward go…if he tries anything kill Bella first." She added. My plan of grabbing Bella and running like a madman were automatically dashed,

"Fuck." I swore lightly. Frank let go of me and I stood upright waiting for Victoria to release Bella. When she did she practically threw her at me, Bella whimpered and continued to scream at sporadic intervals as I scooped her up into my arms,

"It's alright angel, it'll be okay, I'm right here…I promise, I know it seems like a long time but in three days all the pain will be gone." I whispered as I looked into Bella's perfect face. It was scrunched in pain and tears ran in constant streams down her cheeks,

"It burns! Edward I'm on fire, it's like when James bit me…Edward make it stop please! Suck it out anything it hurts so badly!" She screamed again and I winced. Victoria cleared her throat and Frank pushed me from behind, ordering me to follow Victoria,

"I'm sorry Bella, I'm sorry, I can't…it's too far into your system…it won't do any good now love, I'm sorry." I kept apologizing as I placed light, icy kisses on Bella's forehead. She mumbled incoherently,

"What was that Bella?" I asked trying to understand what she had just told me,

"I had wanted it to be you. I wanted you to bite me, to turn me, I wanted Carlisle to give me morphine, I wanted it to be you…I didn't want her, I didn't want any of this I'm sorry I was a bad girlfriend please don't leave again! Not now! I had wanted it to be you!" She choked on her sobs and I clutched her more tightly to my chest,

"Shhh now Bella, you were never a bad girlfriend do you understand me? I know you can hear me Bella please listen, I was wrong, I didn't mean any of what I said, all lies I promise you, all lies. I'm sorry darling, I'm sorry it wasn't me. She'll pay Bella, trust me." I whispered, I didn't care if Victoria could hear me or not,

"All filled with empty promises aren't we Eddie?" Victoria snarled from ahead of me,

"Shut up." I bit out harshly to her. Bella whimpered in my arms,

"Where are they?" She asked. I had an idea of who she was talking about but I asked anyway,

"Who Bella?" I asked quietly. She opened her eyes for the first time in awhile and I saw the pain, I could sense the venom that circulated through her, I winced,

"Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie…Carlisle, Esme. Where are they Edward? Did they not come? Is Charlie alright? Tell me Edward…please." She said through a forced breath, she let out another scream as the inferno continued to burn her,

"Oh this should be good." Victoria laughed and I snarled again at her,

"I said shut up." I growled. Victoria snorted,

"Bella…darling…they're dead. Every Cullen but myself is dead." Bella stared at me with a look of fear and disbelief,

"No, no Edward please…they…can't be." She let out a strangled sob and it tore at my heart even more,

"I'm so sorry. We were tricked, we were ambushed…they told me to find you so I did." I told her,

"Charlie?" She asked. I didn't know if Charlie's story was more or less painful than the one of my family,

"Charlie….thinks you're dead Bella. Victoria sacrificed some other poor girl and threw your wallet and belongings into the mix…Charlie thinks you're dead." I said. Bella let out another sob,

"I never wanted this to happen." She cried,

"Shh Bella, it'll be alright. Somehow, I don't know how yet, but we'll make it out alive and together I promise you." I tried my best to reassure her. I was surprised she had been able to talk at all with the pain she had to be in. But the human will could be awfully strong when it needed to be.

Bella was silent after that as far as speaking goes. She screamed and sobbed and I did my best to soothe her by humming her lullaby. Finally, we reached the tower of Volterra where the Volturi resided. Where the sick "royal" family of vampires sat ruling over all of us. What they had against my peaceful family was still a mystery to me.

The room we entered was round and cold. It was made of entirely of stone and the floor was shiny and hard. I walked in, clothes tattered and stained, holding a dying Bella in my arms. To anyone else it must have looked like a war scene, to the Volturi it was probably best described as "dinner and a show". Frank stepped forward and took Bella from my arms,

"Wait what are you doing?! Give her back, don't you dare touch her!" I yelled. Frank paid no attention to me but strode out of the room with a screaming Bella in his arms. I charged toward him but several vampire stood in my way. I let out a snarl, "You think I'm afraid to die?! You've already killed all of my family what the fuck do I care what happens to me?!" I yelled at them.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk….such language Mr. Cullen." A soft, familiar, voice from behind me brought me out of my stance. I stood up straight and turned to see Aro, Caius, and Marcus all seated like they were watching a play. "But such a, delightful, show of…devotion towards Ms. Swan. I am intrigued." Aro spoke,

"Aro." I inclined my head. I had no desire to be cordial towards my superiors but had learned long ago that it was better to be kind and get your way than to just walk in with guns blazing. Aro chuckled,

"I am so very interested in why Bella is such a main fixture in your life. You love her, no doubt, but is there something about her that differentiates her from the other humans? You see I need these questions answered…this is why I needed the help of Victoria. I am curious to see what kind of a vampire your Isabella makes." Aro spoke and I wanted nothing more than to tear out his throat,

"But my entire family Aro. Did you have to slaughter every last one of them to just have a little chat with me? I thought you admired Carlisle, I thought were, in a way, friends." I asked finally raising my gaze from the floor to meet Aro's,

"Such a pity. I had not wanted to kill them but, you see, over the years Carlisle's family has grown a considerable amount and we thought that it would be more…difficult, for you to listen to reason if you had your entire family around you ready to fight to the death for your human. I guess, in a way, they did. Though they didn't put up too much of a fight. You have a gift Edward, such a rare, glorious gift that could be of so much benefit to us…think of the possibilities." Aro looked at me with a sly grin,

"I'm thinking of the possibility of my foot up your--" Aro cut me off before I could finish my sentence,

"No need to bring your temper into this Edward." He told me, "We can do this civilized…which is the way I would like to keep it,

"But what about Alice? She was gifted, as was Jasper. Why my entire family? Why everything I had?" I asked him. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

"I did not intend to kill dear Alice, she simply got in the way. Such a wonderful ray of sunshine and life. She will be missed, no doubt." Aro strode up to me. I backed away a few steps, "I would like to make a deal with you Edward." I glared at him, Bella screamed from the next room and I tried not to think too much about her,

"I'm listening." I bit out through clenched teeth,

"Agree to join us, Edward. Stand by our side, help us maintain order and rule in our kingdom, we will provide you with all the humans you would ever need to be satisfied." He told me,

"I don't drink human blood…you know this Aro. And what of Bella? What will become of her?" I asked. I wanted Bella to be safe, I didn't care if I lived or died at this point,

"We will…see, if she is worthy of anything. If it will get you to stay with us we may think a little more about keeping Ms. Swan around. I am so very interested in seeing her as one of us…I bet her eyes are just the most stunning shade of red." Aro quipped. I let a small growl escape the reserve I was holding on myself. I didn't want to be making such a decision,

"And if I refuse?" I asked, curious to how my fate would be handled,

"You know how to kill a vampire Edward…and you know we are capable of doing so." Aro said seriously. I thought for a moment, I didn't want to join the Volturi, I didn't want everything Carlisle had built for the family to go to waste and I didn't want Bella to live our her eternity in a tower. Then again, I wanted Bella to live, I wanted her to see the world again, and I was certain I would be able to find a way out once I truly had my wits about me,

"Edward I need an answer." Aro said. I opened my mouth to agree but instantly shut it as something moved in the shadows that surrounded the door. It only moved slightly, a fraction of a centimeter, but I was certain that it was there. Aro hadn't seen my eyes move and Marcus and Caius were uninterested in the goings on between Aro and myself.

Something had moved, and I was certain that it had been small, quick, and pixie-like. Something had moved, and it had changed my answer completely.

"No." I whispered, a sly, knowing, grin creeping over my face.


	9. Chapter 9

**EPOV**

**--**

I could feel Aro's eyes on me as I gave him my answer. He was shocked, he couldn't believe that I would refuse such an offer, he couldn't believe that anyone could refuse an offer made by the all powerful Volturi. He, along with his brothers, were so full of themselves that they were too blind to notice when they had been beaten.

"Then, Edward Cullen, I am afraid that I have no choice." Aro said, his voice slightly more malicious than it had been a second ago, "You have made a gigantic mistake boy." He added. Then, suddenly, the scene changed completely,

"No, no, no my dear friend, I believe you have made the gigantic mistake here. You see, Aro, messing with a man's son is a death wish. Messing with a vampire's son, now that just pretty much guarantees you a one-way ticket to Hell." Carlisle stepped out of the shadows, the rest of my family followed behind, and I was certain, in that moment, the grin on my face couldn't have been bigger.

"Carlisle, Esme. I am so glad to see that you and your children are alive…" I was shocked that it was Esme who cut him off,

"Save the pleasantries for someone who cares Aro." She said. I looked at my family, Jasper's hair was sticking up in even more random places than my own and his, Alice and Esme's faces all had deep, black, smudges of soot from the blast. I was glad to see that Rose's arms were properly attached and that the only damaged she, Emmett, and Carlisle had apparently suffered were rips and tears to their clothing. Also, it seemed as if there was a new bite mark on Emmett's arm that hadn't been there before.

"Now, now, Esme. We haven't seen each other for quite some time there's no need to be nasty right off the bat." Aro had backed up a few feet so that he stood next to his brothers,

"None of us would like to participate in any violence today.." Carlisle began but Alice cut him off rushing forward to stand next to him. I almost let out a laugh, her inky hair was all a mess on top of her hair, her cheeks stained with soot, and her outfit was ripped in random places, she was obviously pissed off that the vampires had messed up her look for the day,

"Speak for yourself Carlisle! I need to know who the asshole is that has been blocking my visions! THEN I WANT TO TEAR HIS HEAD OFF!!" Alice yelled, her normal pixie-like disposition gone,

"Calm down Alice." Carlisle whispered, "Edward, son, are you alright?" Carlisle finally acknowledged me,

"I'm fine but Bella is…Victoria bit her." I whispered. I heard a growl erupt from every one of my siblings as well as my parents,

"Let her go, let Edward go. We pose no threat to you or your….rule, Aro." Carlisle whispered. Aro, Caius, and Marcus all chuckled darkly,

"We know that. But your little human, she knows too much…your numbers have grown exponentially in the past years Carlisle. I'm afraid that, in order to keep our secret, well, secret, that we cannot allow Isabella Swan to go free." Aro said, "And I am doubting that Edward would leave her without a fight." He added,

"Then we fight." Carlisle said quickly. I was shocked because, I knew more than anyone, that Carlisle hated violence. Thought I could see, quite easily, that when it came to his family that he may make an exception, "Would you like to make a deal?" my father added. I was eyeing Victoria who stood at the end of the line of vampires to Aro's right. I wanted tear her head off but still have her alive long enough for her to see her own body from her detached head's perspective. I wanted her to scream like Bella had, plead for her own pitiful existence. I wanted to give her hope and then, in an instant, take all that hope away. I wanted to crush her.

"We are always willing to make deals Carlisle, you know that we are very reasonable." Aro said. I heard Jasper and Emmett snort from behind me,

"You fight me, Aro, fight me without your brothers and we will see who comes out on top. If you win, then you may have my family. If you lose, we go free and you never bother us again." Carlisle said. I took in an unneeded breath but instantly relaxed, probably thanks to Jasper. Aro chuckled,

"Very well then. Brothers…" He motioned to his brothers who stood, without word, and left the room, leaving part of the guard, and Victoria, standing, "How should we go about this Carlisle?" Aro said as soon as Marcus and Caius had left the room. Carlisle turned to a coat of arms hanging on the wall and removed the two swords throwing one at Aro,

"Just like they did in the old days, my friend." Carlisle said. Aro let out a booming laugh,

"In case you have forgotten, friend," he said the word "friend" like it was a swear word, "swords don't exactly work on creatures like us." Aro glared at my father and I crouched slightly, ready to spring if needed,

"We duel, the first to bring the other down wins. As much as I would like to wrestle you, Aro, I fear I may hurt my son Emmett's pride if I prove to be better than he is." Carlisle winked at Emmett who let out his own booming laugh. I knew that Carlisle was lying, that he didn't care about Emmett's pride at the moment but that he wanted to keep Aro where he could see him. If they were wrestling there was no telling if the guard would attack or not, and there was no telling whether or not we would get to Carlisle before they killed him.

"Very well my friend. We duel." Aro raised his sword and Carlisle did the same. In a flash I watched as my father attacked a man he once called his friend.

The duel started out just as it always did in movies, the clinking sound of swords filled the air as the two vampires moved back and forth matching each other move for move. They seemed to be equal and I wasn't sure if it was going to go anywhere, then, Bella's piercing scream filled the air once more and Carlisle let out a snarl,

"How dare you Aro. She was a young, vibrant, girl, what could she have possibly done to upset you?" He bit out slicing sideways only to be blocked by Aro,

"She isn't the one who upset me, Carlisle, it was you who broke the rule, you who let her in." Aro sent Carlisle flying with a kick to his chest and I heard Esme gasp. Carlisle flipped back to his feet skillfully,

"She figured it out on her own without any help from us. She is a smart girl, why punish someone for being clever?" Carlisle growled,

"She knows too much!" Aro roared, "Which, I guess it doesn't matter now since she is one of us, she will either stay in the tower or be killed." He added. Carlisle let out another growl and sliced to the side sending Aro into a wall,

"Leave my family alone!" He yelled, "And that includes Isabella. All we wanted to do was live in peace! We like humans, we don't drink human blood, we interact with them, there is no threat to our 'secret' Aro!" Carlisle shouted.

Alice let out a frustrated shout,

"I HATE NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE OUTCOME!" She yelled. One of the members of the guard stared at her and let out a chuckle. Alice noticed immediately and everything fell into place,

"…….You!" She shouted, "It's been you this whole time blocking me! Oh, very funny…very, very, funny!" In a flash, before Jasper could even shout out her name, Alice was across the room and perched on top of the vampire's back, "YOU FUCKING….ASSFACE! YOU are the reason I couldn't see Bella, YOU are the reason I didn't know the fucking games Victoria was playing, YOU are the reason MY CLOTHES ARE RUINED!" She yelled. The two tumbled and I had to stop Jasper from joining in the brawl. The dust cleared and the large vampire was on the ground with Alice on his back, her tiny hands wrapped around his neck,

"I don't need visions to know that your head…is…coming…off!" A loud ripping noise filled our ears and the vampire's head was launched across the room. Esme let out another gasp, obviously shocked to see her smallest daughter bring down a vampire twice her size, the other vampire's in the guard didn't seem the least bit phazed. Alice raced back to where we stood, she stumbled back a bit as she latched onto Jasper's arm, she had just been hit with, no doubt, a wave of visions. She let out a high pitched giggle,

"Sorry, something Emmett's going to do next Tuesday. I'm BACK BABY!" She yelled. Carlisle and Aro had stopped to watch Alice's display of 'pissed-off pixie strength' but were now back to fighting each other. Aro shoved off the wall and took another swing at Carlisle. My father blocked his shot with a powerful swing of his own sword, but Aro pushed just a little harder. Carlisle began to fall, and Alice detached herself from the fight her eyes bright with either shock, or fear, as she watched the fight, evidently already well aware of the outcome.


	10. Chapter 10

**EPOV**

**--**

Suddenly, I could hear again, I could hear everyone's thoughts. Everything came rushing into my mind, like a train was zooming past me at a thousand miles an hour. I felt like myself again, the vital part of me that I relied so heavily on was back where it belonged. Everyone's thoughts were riddled with fear and anger. Esme was practically sobbing in her mind as she tried so hard not to watch her husband battle to protect his family. Emmett was itching to get into the middle of the fight, to take down every vampire that wasn't a part of his family that stood in this room. Jasper's thoughts were pained as he was hit with every emotion that whirled around the room. Rose was afraid, terrified, that Carlisle would fail and Alice…Alice. My breath hitched in my throat as I looked from my sister to my father, analyzing this situation. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as I realized what I had to do, Alice shook her tiny head, worry flooding her expression as her thoughts screamed at me not to do it, that it wasn't part of the plan, that it had to be Carlisle to defeat Aro. I shook my head as the present came into focus.

"Carlisle!" Esme cried as my father stumbled backward. I had to act fast, I rushed into the scene and snatched my father's sword from his grasp. I whirled around and blocked Aro shot,

"We're Cullens, we fight together." I growled out as I threw Aro back onto the stone floor. I stood above the fallen leader my expression, no doubt, enraged. I could feel my eyes smoldering to black and I would be lying if I didn't admit that I was a little terrified of myself in that instant. Aro stared up at me, his lips curled back on his teeth and he let out a vicious laugh,

"My, my, Edward…a little forward aren't we?" He spit out. I snarled and my eyes darted to my sister, her eyes were wide with terror,

_Be strong. If you aren't as strong as stone we will not survive. It HAS to be Carlisle. _Her thoughts told me,

"We won, fair and square. Let my family go, and that includes Bella." I growled staring at Aro. Alice had seen me ripping Aro's head off, she had seen the guard reacting, taking us all down, and then she had seen nothing.

"Well I'm afraid I really can't do that Edward." Aro said from his spot on the ground. I growled once again,

"You promised!" I roared shoving the tip of the blade against his chest, I knew it didn't hurt him but I really didn't care,

"I promised that if your father beat me I would let you go, your father did not beat me. You, however, did." Aro's eyes lit up as if he were realizing that I was some sort of dream come true, some sort of killing machine,

"Go to hell." I bit out. I was tired, exhausted. All I wanted was Bella, I wanted to take Bella and my family and get out of there and hope that Bella never had the urge to visit Italy again.

"I believe you are already there son. Isn't that right? Hell, for you, is anywhere where Bella isn't. Hell for you is the absence of love and family and the feeling of defeat." Aro was hitting home with every word he spit out,

"You are correct, and there are only a few souls I would wish that feeling on and you just happen to be one of them." It was getting harder and harder to resist snapping of Aro's head but I had vowed long ago to never bet against Alice and I planned to uphold that, no matter how hard it was.

"You've raised this boy to be awfully hard haven't you Carlisle? Does he ever have any fun?" Aro asked Carlisle. Emmett opened his big mouth,

"He's a little uptight, he's still a virgin." Emmett shut his mouth tightly after his remark as if that would have done anything to take back what he had said. Every member of my family turned their heads to stare in disbelief at my brother, "Sorry…I'm nervous." He admitted. I could tell Jasper wanted to laugh, but when your life is in danger you tend to throw laughter out the window,

"Edward's a smart boy. He does what's right, he listens to…" Carlisle's thoughts were telling me what I already knew _listen to your sister_, "but like all of us he knows the power of love, and what one would do to ensure that love is protected." Carlisle nodded at me to back up and I did so allowing Aro to stand up. I heard a growl from my right and glanced to see Victoria practically fuming with pent up rage, all the talk of love had no doubt riled her. Alice's eyes shot up and her eyes locked on the redheaded vampire,

_Taunt Victoria. Get her to go after you. Do it._ Alice's thoughts told me. I nodded,

"Yes, we wall know about love…don't we Victoria?" I turned my attention to her, the one who had cost me so much, "We know what it feels like to have the love snatched away…" Victoria growled, "To feel like we're being pulled limb from limb…kind of how James felt when we really did pull him limb from limb hm?" I struck a nerve and Victoria charged at me,

"How dare you, who do you think you are?!" She shrieked and we tumbled. She punched me a few times but I was quicker than she was and I managed to throw her off of me sending her across the room. She hit the stone wall with a thud but was back on her feet in an instant,

"I'm Edward Cullen, and I'll be kicking your ass today." I told her. She charged back at me but I caught her in mid air, the thunderous sound of our bodies colliding filled the air, I heard my father speak to Aro as Victoria and I fought,

"What was the deal again, my old friend?" My father's calm voice said. Aro let out a chuckle, obviously too wrapped up in Victoria and I fighting to realize what was coming,

"You defeat me, I let your family go." Aro said,

"Thanks." Carlisle said, I saw the flash of a smile on Carlisle's face and Esme's gasp, then it was over with one resounding rip of Aro's head,

"You lose." Carlisle said. We had won fair and square, The Volturis' fought dirty but usually fulfilled their end of the bargain. I didn't care though, I would deal with whoever stood in my family's way after I had Bella safely in my arms again,

"Where is she?!" I yelled at Victoria,

"IN HER OWN PERSONAL HELL!" Victoria yelled back, "You had no right killing James! He was acting on instinct, you're the freak! You should have eaten her when you had the chance, drained her dry! James was only doing what we do!" Victoria screamed at me,

"Don't try to justify his actions….tell me where she is!" I yelled. She threw my head against the floor, I winced.

"Give up Edward, she's nothing special now, just another blood hungry vampire. She's going to take one look at you and try to kill you. Your love is gone, just like mine, she'll never be Bella. Give up." Victoria bit out, her hands enclosed around my neck, I had been defeated…or so I thought,

"Hey! Victoria! You know James begged for his life, he cried, he whined, he was a big baby when it came to us ripping his head off!" Jasper's voice was my saving grace because Victoria turned at his comments,

"You piece of filth!" She yelled. Jasper let out a chuckle, the rest of my family was behind him keeping the vampires, that threatened to fight, at bay. Victoria was concentrated on my brother and I saw my chance, I wrapped my own hands around her neck,

"You know what…Victoria…Cullens don't ever, ever, ever…give up." I said. Jasper smirked,

"Bye-bye bitch." He waved at her and I ripped her head clean off.

I noticed that Marcus and Caius had returned to the room and were in shock at the death of their brother,

"We won fair and square Marcus, Caius." Carlisle said, he was right, we had won Carlisle had taken Aro down, I had just helped.

"Go find Bella." Alice said, "We have the situation under control, just go." She whispered to me. I didn't take a second glance behind me, I believed her, we would make it. I took off at a sprint to where I had seen the vampire from earlier take Bella,

"Come on sweetheart tell me where you are." I whispered as I ran. I stopped at a door, soft whimpers were coming from it, "Bingo." I said, I wrenched open the door and my heart broke all over again.


	11. Chapter 11

**Holy Mother of Jasper I am so so so so so so so sorry that it has been over a month since an update. Life for me lately has sucked beyond belief and I have been venting my anger through writing (unfortunately it hasn't been on this story). Here is an update of sorts, I realized I never put this chapter up here (just over at lionlamb LJ) so some of you may have not seen this before. I do plan on finishing up this story tonight so you may get another chapter before dawn breaks tomorrow morning. Life is now starting to get back to normal (or as close to normal as it will ever be again) so expect more writings from me of varying sorts. After all, we all have our ways to vent our emotions. I hop everyone is doing well and is excited for the Twilight movie to hit the big screen.**

**Cheers and Love,**

**- Jill**

**EPOV**

**--**

"Edward Cullen is staring at you…" The memory opened the floodgates to every encounter Bella and I had ever had leading up to the moment I was currently experiencing. It was like my mind was fast forwarding the video of what my life had consisted of lately, Bella. The highlights stood out to me: the first time I had heard her name in the minds of every other student, how it had angered me so much that I couldn't read her thoughts, how I had imagined killing her in a couple of different ways, how I had wanted to damn her for the pain she was unknowingly causing me, my attempt at being kind, my attempt at stopping myself from falling in love, our first visit to the meadow, our first kiss, how I had finally been able to tell her I loved her, how she had been so brave yet so stupid when it came to the situation with James, how I had been willing to fight my own brother to protect her on her birthday, how she had looked in the woods when I had decided, wrongly, that the best decision was to leave, and, finally, the terror in her eyes when Victoria had taken her mortal life from her.

The Bella that my mind was showing me was not the one lying before me. The one in my mind was the one that I completely adored, the one that made me smile in the cute way she would bite her lip when she was unsure about something. The one who's skin would become warm around her cheeks when she was embarrassed (which was quite often), the clumsy one who was fascinated by my family but never to the point of revulsion which I always feared yet expected. The Bella that was laying on the hard stone floor, breathing erratically, was not the Bella I longed to see. Sweat was pouring down her face, soaking her shirt which was also soaked with her only blood, her hair was plastered to her face and I could see her lip trembling slightly. I knew she wanted to move, she wanted to be able to run, to escape the fire that was burning through her veins but she couldn't move an inch, her body was frozen with pain and fear.

I can't remember when everything finally clicked into place but I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of urgency. I crossed the room in no time and knelt carefully beside my fallen love. A wave of hatred rushed over me as I thought of Victoria, who had not suffered at all in her death, had played a game of life and death and had, in a way, won…though I would more than likely call it a tie now. I should have made the redhead suffer, I should have made her beg to die, and then I should have made her wait a little longer for the rushing silence of death. I ran my hand over Bella's forehead, brushing the sweat soaked strands of her bangs away from her still beautiful features. Her skin was clammy, like she had a raging fever, one that the human body would never be able to survive, in a way, I guess, that's exactly what she was experiencing.

She started to whimper and her eyes shot open as she let out a heart wrenching scream, it

frightened me,

"Bella! Bella, shh, shh darling." I grabbed onto her shoulder to steady her as her painful scream continued to echo throughout the room. Finally, she ceased her screaming, and realized that I was present in the room,

"Edward? Edward is that you?" She asked, "Really? You aren't a dream?" She asked in ragged breaths. I could feel my eyes prickling with emotions, tears that would never come for me now streamed down Bella's flushed face,

"Yes. Yes it's me, I'm not a dream." I told her quietly. She looked at me, her eyes beginning to tint red already,

"Then kill me. Please, make it stop. Just kill me, I'm sorry, I'm not strong enough, I can't do this. It hurts so bad Edward just kill me…kill me!" She screamed and I wanted to die. She was begging me to kill her, to take her from the fires of Hell that were currently consuming what was left of her mortality. She wanted to die because she couldn't think of a better option, because the pain was so intense, because she was scared…and I couldn't do it,

"Bella, no. I won't kill you, you'll make it. We have to leave, we need to get you to the hotel, Carlisle will give you medicine, he'll make you feel better I promise you darling." I tried to calm her but she was sobbing now,

"I want to die, it hurts so bad! I'm so tired but I can't sleep because it feels like my entire body is on fire! I wanted it to be you! I wanted to be at home and have you with me! I didn't want it like this! It hurts so bad…" She began to sob, her chest rattled with every breath she took, every sob that escaped her seemed like a cry for death to come and take her.

Edward, they're letting us go..for now. If we leave the city immediately, good thing our hotel is outside the city. We can't waste anytime, we aren't guaranteed they won't act later…though we won fair and square. Get Bella.

Alice's point was clear, get Bella and leave, immediately.

"Bella, love, we're leaving…we're going to the hotel, Carlisle will take care of you." I told her as I picked her up. She felt even lighter than she normally felt, it sickened me to think of how Victoria had neglected her for days. Bella's lips were pale and cracked, they looked so painful as she drew in difficult breath after difficult breath, I was shocked she could hold a conversation half as well as she was,

"Will he kill me?" She asked me. I winced at her words and shook my head, "I know this sounds silly, and cliché, but if I had to die…I'm glad it's in your arms." I wanted to cry, scream, kill every member of the Volturi guard, and take down some werewolves just to get my anger out at her comment, but I suppressed my true feelings,

"I know it seems like forever away but in a couple days all the pain will be gone…everything will be so different Bella, it will be a whole new experience." I told her softly as I dashed from the room,

"I'll be beautiful." She said with a soft chuckle. For the firs time since she had disappeared I let myself grin,

"You are already the most beautiful woman in existence." I told her, I nuzzled her cheek with my nose,

"I do love you..even though you won't kill me." Her voice was growing considerably weaker,

"I love you." was all I could whisper. She didn't respond, the pain may have gotten so great that she finally slipped into welcomed unconsciousness.

The hotel room was small but we didn't care. Carlisle had administered morphine as well as some other painkillers to Bella as soon as we got into the room. Now all we had to do was wait, which was easier said than done,

"I can't wait until she can shower and I can do her hair and get her new clothes!" Alice was back to her old self, though we weren't totally safe yet Alice was having a much easier time relaxing now that she could see the future,

"She isn't a doll Alice, she's going to need a bit of time to get used to everything." Esme tried to reel Alice in but that wasn't the easiest thing in the world to do.

I, however, paced. I was certain I was wearing a hole in the carpet walking back and forth waiting for something, any sign that she was okay. At even the slightest noise I'd rush to her side, eager for her to be alright.

"Edward if you don't stop blaming yourself and feeling so damn horrible about your own existence you're going to drive me to drink…and alcohol doesn't even effect me." Jasper said. I hadn't even realized that I was causing my brother pain. I knew, from his thoughts, that he felt partially responsible for everything that had happened, though he didn't really need to be. Victoria had been right about one thing, my family was definitely not the norm when it came to the vampire world, Jasper was simply acting on instinct.

The next two days passed so slowly I longed to be able to sleep just so I could pass the time. I could no longer listen to my family's thoughts, they were too full of pity for me and concern for Bella. Concern that she wouldn't remember, concern that she would hate what she had become, we all longed to know what she would think.

We didn't have to wait much longer.

Bella stirred and her eyes blinked open. My throat closed with emotion as I realized that her normally brown eyes were now a vivid red. My family stayed back, giving me the first moments alone with her,

"E-Edward?" She asked, my heart soared as I realized she remembered me, her voice seemed stronger than it had a couple days ago, she sat up,

"…Yeah, yeah Bella it's me." I let a smile spread across my features and a chuckle escape me. Bella nodded twice then pulled back her fist and punched me square in the jaw. Her new found strength sent me toppling over, falling to the ground. I stared up at her, rubbing my jaw, looking wide-eyed and disbelieving,

"That's for leaving me in the woods!" She shouted.


End file.
